Well this is sort of a sad story but it highlights the need to make sure before you ingest anything you’ve done the research or have been taught the correct method.
A man named Magno Sergio Gomes tragically lost his life after ingesting a poisonous pufferfish. This little creature is deceptively dangerous, packing enough venom to kill 30 humans.
Magno, a 46-year-old Brazilian, received this deadly seafood as a gift from an unnamed friend, though its origin remains uncertain. Neither Magno nor his friend had any prior experience handling pufferfish, but they decided to gut the fish, remove its liver, and cook it with lemon juice.
Unfortunately, within an hour of consuming the meal, both Magno and his friend fell seriously ill. Magno began feeling numbness in his mouth, which quickly escalated. In a state of alarm, he drove himself to the hospital, where he eventually went into cardiac arrest for a harrowing 8 minutes.
The culprit behind this tragedy is tetrodotoxin, an extremely potent poison found in the liver and gonads of pufferfish. This toxin is more than 1,000 times deadlier than cyanide, with no known antidote. When ingested, it disrupts the transmission of signals from nerves to muscles, leading to paralysis and, ultimately, death.
Despite being intubated and put on life support for 35 days, Magno couldn’t overcome the devastating effects of the toxin. His sister, Myrian, heartbreakingly revealed that the poison quickly traveled to his head, causing severe seizures that left little chance of recovery.
Miraculously, Magno’s friend survived, but not without complications. He’s experiencing difficulty with his legs and has suffered neurological impacts.
Raw pufferfish is a delicacy in Japan known as fugu. People there enjoy the slight buzz that comes from ingesting trace amounts of the toxin. However, it’s worth noting that only licensed fugu chefs are allowed to prepare this potentially deadly dish.
This tragic incident serves as a strong reminder that when it comes to dealing with dangerous situations or unfamiliar substances, proper knowledge and caution are absolutely crucial.
When you harvest from the wild, make sure you have the knowledge about whatever animal or plant you want to ingest because your life may depend on it.